Effect of angular inertia of lubricant in MHD hydrostatic thrust bearings

Summary Circumferential motion of a conducting lubricant in a hydrostatic thrust bearing is caused either by the angular motion of a rotating disk or by the interaction of a radial electric field and an axial magnetic field. Under the assumption that the fluid inertia due to radial motion is negligibly small in comparison with that due to angular motion, it is found analytically that the rotor causes an increase in flow rate and a decrease in load capacity, while both are increased by the application of an electric field in the presence of an axial magnetic field. The critical angular speed of the rotor at which the bearing can no longer support any load is obtained, and the possibility of flow separation in the lubricant is discussed.Nomenclature a recess radius - b outside disk radius - B ₀ magnetic induction of uniform axial magnetic field - E ₀ radial electric field at r=a - E _r radial electric field - h half of lubricant film thickness - M Hartmann number = (B ₀ ² h ²/)^1/2 - P pressure - P ₀ pressure at r=a - P _e pressure at r=b - Q volume flow rate of lubricant - Q ₀ flow rate of a nonrotating bearing without magnetic field - r radial coordinate - r _s position of flow separation on stationary disk - u, v fluid velocity components in radial and circumferential directions, respectively - W load carrying capacity of bearing - W ₀ load capacity of a nonrotating bearing without magnetic field - z axial coordinate - coefficient of viscosity - _e magnetic permeability - fluid density - electrical conductivity - electric potential - angular speed of rotating disk - _c critical rotor speed at which W=0